• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.41-50
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• 2013

Objectives: As a newcomer to the medical tourism industry, Korea needs to differentiate itself from the leading competing countries to vitalize its early-stage medical tourism industry. This study aims to introduce a strategic plan to vitalize the Korean integrated medical tourism so that Korea can differentiate itself from competing countries and create high added value. Methods: The concept and actual conditions of medical tourism and Oriental medical tourism were examined. A plan to differentiate Korea from the competing countries in the medical tourism industry was studied to create high added-value through strategic vitalization of its medical tourism industry. Results: Korean integrated medical tourism must be developed differently from those of other South-East Asian countries in order to strategically promote the cash-cow medical tourism industry. In order to develop such medical tourism, Korean medical practice, which integrates Western and Oriental medicine, is to be developed through mutual understanding and fusion of other disciplines among medical doctors and Oriental medical doctors who are working in local healthcare for health promotion of local residents and disease prevention and control. This will play a key role in developing a unique medical tourism product of Korea by means of strategic alliances as an integrated medicine. Manpower specialized for integrated medicine is to be specially supplied for Oriental medicine-related business lines at city, county and borough levels, among local governments, that are enthusiastically carrying forward Oriental medical tourism with an interest to promoting more active and strategic business development and raise the effectiveness and efficiency of public health centers handling related medical tourism. Manpower specialized for Korean integrated medical tourism is to be specially supplied for the Ministry of Culture, Health and Tourism, a policy control tower to develop and vitalize high value-added fusion (theme) tourism products such as the Korean integrated medical tourism, in order to discover, promote and support Korean integrated medical tourism's differences from existing medical tourism. Conclusions: The differentiated integrated medical tourism that only Korea can offer in a variety of forms, in order to create a key area of high value-added medical tourism, should be strategically vitalized through a liaison between integrated medicine and tourism and the realization of patient-centered health care services with medical technology developed based on mutual understanding of Western and Oriental medicine.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.111-121
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of ampule containing herbal extract(Ulmus davidiana, Ginkgo biloba, Perilla ocymoides, Morus alba, Glycyrrhiza uralensis (licorice), and Angelica gigas) on skin wrinkles in adult women with facial wrinkles. Methods : A total of 12 women, 30 to 46 years of age, with wrinkles in the corner of eyes, applied ampule containing herbal extract twice daily for up to 12 weeks. Silicon replicas of right crow's feet area and antecubital fossa were taken before use of test product and at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. The replicas were analyzed by optical profilometry with Skin Visiometer SV600. The wrinkle and roughness parameters, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 were calculated and statistically analyzed. In addition, a subjective evaluation of product efficacy was conducted by patient's assessment. Results : The mean values of all the skin roughness parameters were decreased at 4-week, and decreased significantly at 8 and 12-week except R4 at 12-week after test product use. The subjective evaluation of wrinkle by patient's assessment was also improved. However, one patient noted stiffness of face after use of test product. Conclusions : These study suggested that the application of ampule containing herbal extract twice daily for 12 weeks may effectively improve the facial wrinkles without severe side effect.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.91-102
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• 2015

Objectives : The Oriental medical device industry is expected to continue to experience significant growth. It should increase its global market share rather than focusing on the domestic market. Countries around the world self-regulate their domestic market, so this study aims to aid in the development of a particular overseas market by introducing the U.S.(the largest market) medical device registration and approval process. Methods : For an understanding of the US medical device licensing process, we researched the relevant regulatory organization (FDA), the history, definition and classification of medical devices, the approval and 510(k) submission process related to substantial equivalence, IEC 60601-1 Edition 3, usability tests, and so on. Results : Medical devices in the United States are assigned to one of three regulatory classes: Class I, Class II and Class III, based on the level of control necessary to assure the safety and effectiveness of the device. If a company's device is classified as Class II and if it is not exempt, a 510k will be required for marketing. 1) A 510(k) is a premarket submission made to the FDA to demonstrate that the new device to be marketed is "substantially equivalent" to a legally marketed device (predicate device) 2) The IEC 60601-1 Edition 3 preparation process, which contains information related to usability, is expensive and time-consuming but a critical requirement. Conclusions : Although the U.S. market has high barriers to entry, access to this, large overseas market will encourage development of the Oriental medical device industry and commercial value enhancement is expected.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.79-85
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• 2009

Aim : To evaluate the pharmaceutical safety of the herbal formula Myelophil, composed of Astragali Radix and Salviae Radix, via systemic subacute toxicological study using SD rats. Methods : Forty male and 40 female SD rats were fed with Myelophil (5000, 2500 or 1250 mg/10 mL/kg) or distilled water for four weeks. Adverse effects were examined intensively by comparing the differences between normal and drug-administered groups using clinical signs, necropsies, histopathologic findings, hematology, urinalysis, and blood biochemical analysis. Results : No altered clinical symptoms including body weight, diarrhea, anorexia, death, and abnormal necropsy of major organs were observed in male or female rats. No drug-induced abnormalities in histopathological finding, hematological values, urinalysis, and blood biochemical values were found at any doses of Myelophil. Conclusion : Myelophil should be very safe when used in a clinical application with a wide therapeutic index.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.171-177
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• 2011

This study was carried out to search for natural anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds from 5 medicinal plants (Carthamus tinctorius seed, Cyperus rotundus, Schizonepeta tenuifolia, Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum, and Paeonia lactiflora). These plants were extracted with 70% ethanol. In order to measure total antioxidant activity of flavonoids, polyphenol content was measured. Radical scavenging activities of extracts were examined using a-a-Diphenyl-${\beta}$-picrylhydrazyl ($DPPH{\cdot}$), 2,2-azino-bis 3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid ($ABTS{\cdot}$), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and superoxide anion radical assays. C. tinctorius seed extracts showed the highest polyphenol and flavonoid contents as well as strong $DPPH{\cdot}$, $ABTS{\cdot}$, FRAP, and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity. Also, C. tinctorius seed extracts showed the highest nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitory effect. Theses results indicate that the C. tinctorius seed extracts can be used as a functional material due to their effective anti-oxidative and antiinflammatory activities.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.175-179
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-diabetic effects of the water extract of Lespedeza cuneata (LCW) using rat insulinoma (RIN) m5F cells and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The effect of LCW on the protection of pancreatic beta cells was assessed using MTT assay, and nitric oxide production was assessed using Griess reagent. STZ-induced diabetic rats were treated with 100 and 400 mg/kg body weight of LCW for 5 weeks. In results, LCW significantly protected cytokine-induced toxicity and NO production, and increased insulin secretion in RINm5F cells. LCW significantly decreased serum blood glucose, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) levels, and renal fibronectin expression in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Also, LCW effectively improved BW loss in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Thus, our results suggest that LCW has a beneficial effect on cytokine-induced pancreatic beta cell damage and biomarkers of diabetic complication in hyperglycemic rats.

• Food Industry And Nutrition
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.20-25
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• 2005

• Food Industry And Nutrition
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.38-46
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• 2000

• Journal of Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2009

Velvet antlers from Cervus elaphus species are one of most famous, expensive and commonly used medicinal materials in traditional oriental medicine. Some distributor had illegal practice of disguising the origin of antlers in Korea market. Therefore, a test to distinguish antler essential to ensure the healthy development of the herbal industry. In this study, the variation in DNA sequences of the mitochondrial ATPase8 and cytochrome-coxidaseI (COI) genes of Cervus elaphus from China, the Republic of Altai, and Canada were evaluated. In addition, the sequence variation among, Rein deer and Cervus elaphus species was also evaluated. Although the sequences of deer from the Republic of Altai and Canada were very similar, polymorphisms that were conserved in each species were observed in the ATPase8 and COI genes. Therefore, these polymorphic markers could be used to distinguish Cervus elaphus antlers from different locations.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.145-152
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• 2010

Background: The flowers of Inula japonica (Inulae Flos) have long been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of Inulae Flos Extract (IFE). Methods: The anti-inflammatory effects of IFE against nitric oxide (NO), $PGE_2$, TNF-${\alpha}$, and IL-6 release, as well as NF-${\kappa}B$ and MAP kinase activation were evaluated in RAW 264.7 cells. Results: IFE inhibited the production of NO and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, IFE reduced the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6. Furthermore, IFE inhibited the NF-${\kappa}B$ activation induced by LPS, which was associated with the abrogation of $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$ degradation and subsequent decreases in nuclear p65 and p50 levels. Moreover, the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and p38 MAP kinases in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells was suppressed by IFE in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: These results suggest that the anti-inflammation activities of IFE might be attributed to the inhibition of NO, iNOS and cytokine expression through the down-regulation of NF-${\kappa}B$ activation via suppression of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ and MAP kinase phosphorylation in macrophages.